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She also said she suspected John Kennedy’s girlfriend may have convinced him to leave Macapa, the capital of Amapa province and known as the capital of the middle of the world because the equator runs through it.

She said: “He had a girlfriend but we didn’t have any information about her.”

John Kennedy’s friends and relatives changed their Facebook profile pictures to images of black ribbons today.

Cousin Rafael Gurjao wrote alongside a picture of the youngster: “Rest in peace my cousin. We shall all miss you.”

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The Aer Lingus flight diverted to Cork Airport

Revealing the pain relatives were going through, he added: “Today the Gurjao family is very sad because we lost one of one members.”

Friend Le Ladislau wrote: “God bless his heart.”

John, who sometimes spelt his name Jhon, described himself on his Facebook page in February as being in an open relationship but wrote he had got married on November 4 last year.

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The Aer Lingus flight diverted to Cork Airport

He also wrote of moving to Porto Ordaz in Venezuela last August.

He is thought to have spent time too in Barcelona, Spain.

In April last year he shared a photo on his Facebook page which said: “Today’s aim. To be a better person, not perfect, just better than yesterday.”